Safety lock for textile machine covers



Jan. 8, 1935.

(I JL MOSS SAFETY LOOK FOR TEXTILE MACHINE COVERS Original Filed March 25, 1929 Patented Jan. 8, 1.)35

UNITED STATES"? PATENT FF CEL SAFETY LOOK FOR TEXTILEtMACHINE COVERS H Joseph Moss, North-Smithfiehl; R. 1., assignor, by mesne assignments; to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass, a.

Massachusetts corporation of ..Original application'March 25, 1929, serial No. 349,697. .Divided and this application March 18, 1932, Serial,-N0.599,701

" 7 Claims. (01. 192-135) This invention forms a divisional partpf my original application for U. S. Letters Patent,'

25,1929, for

safety locks for cotton preparing machinery, such' as openers and pickers, wherein especially operating parts such as beaters travel at such high speeds as to be inconspicuous or invisible to the eye, and hence constitute very grave hazards} 7 The main object of the present invention is to provide locking means for cotton machinery which will permit convenient opening of the covers, doors or guards of enclosed operating parts when the machine is not running, but positively will prevent access to these parts of the machine when these latter are in operation, and also will prevent starting of the machine when the covers orguards are in unlocked relation.

In the attempt to provide satisfactory safety" locks for. such doors, covers, and guards, a variety of exacting conditions must be met; The devices must be simple and direct in their action; to make certain that they will work every'time. They must be easy to operate, and impose no extra burden or nuisance on the operator, or he will: find a way to render them inoperativeandjsub ject himself to the hazard they are aimed to'protect him from, just to simplify his work} 'They must not give access to the enclosed partsuntil thevlatter have actually come to rest, as serious have been rendered inoperative as soon as the driving power is unshipped, and access thus allowed to the parts while still traveling under their own momentum. They must not rely wholly on magnetism or gravity for their maintenancein a relation to prevent opening of the doorsor guards, or on the force of springs with their propensity for failure without warning, oron fricjoining machines, as isnearly always the case.

With the aim of satisfying these requirements,

the invention comprises a wholly mechanical and positive safety lock which not only locks-the cover dangerous moving parts is in running relation,

and correspondingly locks the drive-shaft against ing device itself in-one or other of the positions it assumes in effecting" the reciprocallocking and release of these parts,"so that it cannotshiftor give way-accidentally;andthe said means may also be arranged so as to assume their control over the movement of the locl-i automatically.

The device is simple and strong, comprising only two moving parts, and easy to make and'fit and operate, the manipulationsinvolved in its operation being performed simultaneously by the two hands ofthe" attendant practically instantaneously and with a minimum need for care and attention. Preferably the whole lockingmechanism,

- is made as a unitwhich l nay be as'sembled in perfect working relation and thereafter quickly and easily installed in the machine-in which it is to operate. Other aims and advantages are as will appear hereinafter. I

"illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown which,-'-'- in the accompanying a drawing in Fig 1 isfla vertical sectionof the beater-chamber of apicker, showing the beater and parts co;-

operating therewith, the cover for such chamber, and the safety lock of theinvention combined with the casing to engage the cover and the lookingwheel or pulleyof the beater.-

Fig. 2 isa View ofcertain of the parts of Fig. '1', viewed mainly in section on line,2 -2 of Fig. 1.

The picker shown in part in Fig; l is ofknown construction, and includesa beater 1 fixedon a shaft 3 mounted in bearings in the hou i g Orcasing 5, and driven by a pulley 'Z;fixed on'the shaft outside of the casing'by akey 9; Accessto the I beater-chamber ishad throughswinging flat accidents have happened where the safety locks cover or door 6, the free end :8 OfWhlCh is lifted upwardly in opening it. Grid-bars 11, a feed-roll 13, an evenercondenser cage 15, and evenerpedals 1 7 coope'rate with the'beater 1 in known manner toacco mpl'ish the feeding, opening, and cleaning of the stock. 1 3 i In the embodiment illustrated herein, one of the slots in'the 'c'asing through which-the beater on its shaft is inserted in the beater-chamber and lowered into its bearings is occupied'by a plate 21 formingthe base of the locking unit or assembly, the; lateral margins of which are re ceived inrabbets formed between the vertical margins of'thecasingadjacentthe slot and applied strips 23'which are'attached'to the casing in closed position when the drive-shaft of the by rivets 25, "so that the plate 21 becomes a part of the enclosing end-wall of the casing.

On the outward side of the plate 21 are formed bosses-27, in which are'fixed pins 29, the reduced inward ends of which are headed over as indi-' cated'at 31 at theinterior'surfaceof each plate.

A' slide 33 is mounted on these pins 29 for easy sliding movement toward and from the casing in a direction parallel to the axis of the beatershaft 3, suitable holes or bearings being provided in the slide .to -fit=uponthe pins*29-: Theportionr 35 of the slide: intermediate theztwopins isround-- ed or otherwise appropriately shaped for grasping, so as to serve as a manipulating handle for-' the slide.

The driving pulley 7 is formedwvitlioneor'more 1 fins or vanes 37 immediately within its flange which are accessible from theside: of the pulley-J The. lower end of the slide 33 is equippedwith 'a-finger confronting the casing and" the' plate 21;

or projection such as the pin 39 screwed into the lower end of the slide illustratedtimFigz=2 whichv is adapted to enter the pathof' rotationloflthe. projections or fins 37 in connection with the pulley 7 when the slide is slid outward in .a. direction away from the casing, and thus to'preve'nt' the rotation of .the driving, wheel or pulley 7 and consequently prevent the .revolution of :the. heater 1- within-the casing. Where-:a. plurality of fins.

37 is provided, they will always, be spaced amply to permit easy andrapid insertion ofthepin 39 between themlwhen the beater. and its pulley 7- are. atrest.

At its. upperextremity, the slide 33 -is pro-- vided with 1 a latch 41,. pivoted -in a cleft in the slideby apivot 43-, and. having a limited deg-reeg of angular movement about such pivot in aidirectionupward and away fromthe casing, the limit-of such movement beingsetby theengagement of a. tail 45 on the latch-41 outwardly of thepivot 43, withthe outwardside of the slide atthe bottom terminus of the cleft in which the latch is mounted. The inward. or free end of the latch overliesthe lateraledge of thecoveror door 6 which givesadmissiom to the' beater-; chamber, in such manner that even when-the:

latch.41 is rotated aboutits pivot to the extent the beaterand-its pulley have beenbroughtzto rest", so that thepin 39 canlenter between the fins, thatit will bepossible-to move outwardly awayQfromthe plate 21 far enough-tocarrythe latch' 41.. outwardly beyond the. margin of the cover 6, leavingthe. latter freeto be raised and permitting unimpeded entry into the beaterchamber. The heater will remain locked-until the slideis again rnovedinwardto withdrawthe pin39v from the path .of rotationof-the projectionson the'l'pulley '7, whichmovement returns thelatoh to cover-locking position,

To maintain the'slideagainst accidental shift, and keep the locking mechanism eitherina position in-which the cover 6 is locked and the beater. shaft. free-tocrotate or in a position. inlr.

which. the beater and its driving wheel 7 are positively" locked against rotation @and the. cover.

.6 freetolbeopened, the latch is;provided with,

a tooth or projection 47' to-enter depressions or. apertures 49, 51, formedin a lip 53-extendingoutwardly from the plate 21, When the tooth-is in the inw'ardaperturev 49, theextremity of the latch overhangs the cover 6 and prevents. its opening, and=the slide 33is itself locked against movement until the latch 41 shall. have: been tipped up' into its dotted-lineposition .in i which theextremity of thetooth 47.is-.above,the plane of the top of'lip, .53}. Sirnilarly,-.when the slide-is,

in its outward position, with the pin 39 blocking rotation of the pulley 7, the latch 41, unless otherwise restrained, gravitates downward so that its tooth 47 enters the aperture 51, locking the slide in position to'prevent allrotati'on of the beater shaft and beater=so long asthe latch ll remains in a position in which the cover 6 can be opened. The manipulation of the locking device is of the simplest order, requiring merely that the latch 4lshall'be heldlifted with one hand while the slide is being shifted with the other.

- Since. thefiattain'ment of the proper operating speed for the beater 'l-depends on the rate of rotationand diameter of the particular going part, in connection with'the prime mover, from which power is-taken and applied to the shaft 3, it is notaalwayswconvenient to employ the periphery of the wheel 'lasthe surface engaged by the belt; but instead-of replacing the wheel 7 by a similar wheelbf'different diameter, it is usually simpler v asa practical mechanicalrresort to"fix\ an ordinary pulley ofproper 'sizewto the endrof shaft 3: outward of the wheel 7'to receivewthe driving .belt;:. leaving the wheel 7 undisturbedtoperform:itsdescribed part in the=locking operation;

While. I have illustrated and-described :a ceratain form in which the invention may be; em-,- bodied, I am-aware that many-:modificationsmay: be .made therein by any personskilled in. the:-'art; without departing from :the scope-of theinvena tion asexpressedin theclaims; ThereforexI do; not wish to be. limitedtortherparticular. formishown, on to the details-of." construction there-- of, but 7 What- I -do claim is:-

1. In textile machines the combination with). a casing; enclosing-workingeparts thereof ,a cover or thelike movable for access=to:such:parts, and a driving a shaft for such parts, of I a.= member; locking the driving, shaft: against rotation and:. also. freeing the. shaft for. rotation; a latch mov-- ing with the member into:and out:of theupathofl opening movement of. the. cover, and: interengaging means on the latch-land the. casing :to -fix. the. latch in and outof-the path ofthe cover and: thus to .maintain the membertin shaft-lockingor shaftefreeingirelation.

2.- In textile machines; the-combination with: a casingenclosing working parts thereof, a cover orthe like movable for access to suchl-parts, and a driving :shaft for'such parts; of-a membermov able-into positions respectively locking the -driv-- ing-:shaft against rotation and ireeingthe driving..shaft, .anda latchengaging a fixed part on. the machine to-maintain -the: saidx mem'ber.-insuch positions'the latch also engaging the cover: to prevent openingof the latter.

3. In textile machines, the'combination withaalcasing enclosing working parts thereof, .aacover: or thelike movablefor access :to. such; parts;- and a wheel-l rotating. alwayswith such parts; of a slide, a member carried byv therslide-into locking: engagement. with the. wheel; and a latch fixing; the-slide in positions in which the wheellis-re spectively locked and freed the' latch also:en-- gaging the coverto-prevent opening. the latter when the slide is in one position.

4. In. textile machines, the" combinatiomwith:

.- a casing enclosing: .workingpartsthereof, a cover a member moving with theslideto lockwthewheelagainst-rotation, and a latch pivoted to the slide, tending. to engage a-fixed part ofv the machine to prevent movement of the slide, intercepting the cover to prevent opening of the latter whenever the said member is out of locking engagement with the wheel, and removable from engagement with such fixed part to permit movement of the latch out of the way of the cover.

5. In textile machines, the combination with a casing enclosing working parts thereof, a cover or the like movable for access to such parts, and a driving shaft for such parts, of a slide having movably applied thereto a cover-locking latch which in the inward position of the slide engages and holds the cover closed, the slide having also a stop which is carried into rotation-preventing relation with the driving shaft by movement of the slide outward to unlock the cover, the latch locking the slide in its respective positions.

6. In textile machines, the combination with a casing enclosing working parts thereof, a cover or the like movable for access to such parts, and

a driving shaft for such parts, of a member looking the driving shaft against rotation, and a latch moving with such member and engaging the cover to prevent opening of the latter, and a fixed part on the machine having depressions with which the latch engages to prevent movement of the latch and the said member.

7. In textile machines, the combination with a casing enclosing working parts, a wheel rotating always with such parts, and a cover giving access to the said parts, of a lock mechanism to be applied to the machine as a unit, comprising a base, a slide sliding on such base, a member on the slide preventing rotation of the wheel, and a latch pivoted on the slide and having a portion engaging the base to hold the latch and slide from movement and a contiguous portion to intercept the cover and prevent opening of the latter whenever the member is free of the wheel.

JOSEPH MOSS. 

